Home » Mapping bathymetry using X-band marine radar data recorded from a moving vessel

TITLE

Mapping bathymetry using X-band marine radar data recorded from a moving vessel

AUTHOR(S)

Bell, Paul; Osler, John

PUB. DATE

December 2011

SOURCE

Ocean Dynamics;Dec2011, Vol. 61 Issue 12, p2141

SOURCE TYPE

Academic Journal

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

Marine radars mounted on ships can provide remarkable insights into ocean behaviour from distances of several kilometres, placing other in situ observations and the environment around a ship into a wider oceanographic context. It has been known for some time that it is possible to map shallow water bathymetry and currents using radar image sequences recorded from shore based stations. However, a long standing question from military and hydrographic communities has been whether such techniques can be applied to radar data collected by moving vessels. If so, this presents the possibility of mapping large areas of shallow or coastal seas (albeit with a somewhat coarse horizontal resolution of 50-100 m) prior to the surveying vessel actually having to travel into potentially uncharted or dangerous shallow water areas. Trial sets of radar data were recorded by the Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel Quest using a Wamos radar digitiser connected to a Decca navigation radar during a number of deployments around Nova Scotia in 2008 and 2009. Georeferencing corrections derived from the existing ship navigation systems were sufficient to allow the application of the existing depth inversion analysis designed for static radar installations. This paper presents the results of bathymetry analyses of two datasets recorded from CFAV Quest while the vessel was travelling at speeds of up to 14 knots. The bathymetry derived from the radar data compare favourably with independent surveys and with the on-board echo sounder to depths of approximately 50 m.

ACCESSION #

67508935

Related Articles

Provides information on the bathymetric surveys conducted by the Danish Geotechnical Institute in the Drogden Navigational Channel. Contribution of the survey vessel called Stevns Surveyor; Survey results; Factors to consider in navigational safety.

This study focuses on an important aspect of airï¿½sea interaction in models, namely, large-scale, spurious heat fluxes due to false pathways of the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Current (NAC) in the ï¿½storm formation regionï¿½ south and east of Newfoundland. Although high-resolution...

Compares the operational capabilities of two survey vessels. Representation of the vessels as the smaller and the larger end of survey operations; General characteristics of the two vessels; Dimensions; Features of the two ships.

The article discusses Airborne Lidar Bathymetry (ALB) technology including its ability to support shallow water and coastal maritime survey operations over different environments. The ALB technology is indicated as particularly effective for surveying hazardous navigation zones with undetected...

Reports on the prospecting surveys conducted by the multipurpose MV Flat Holm at the Bristol Channel in Great Britain in 2001. Company which chartered Flat Holm and surveying activities; Equipment used in the operation; Use of a positioning control system; Methods for the delimitation of the...

Although sidescan may be used for approximate delimitation of the boundaries of artificial reefs, multi-beam echosounding technology provides a superior alternative for obtaining quantitative information on sea-bottom morphology and terrain changes around individual reef units. The accuracy of...

A process-based numerical modeling System is utilized for predicting littoral sand transport. The intent is to examine conditions slightly more complex than linear waves impinging upon a plane beach. Two factors that we examine are wave skewness and longshore varying bathymetry. An empirical...

Robertson, B.; Hall, K.; Nistor, I.; Zytner, R., and Storlazzi, C., 2015. Remote sensing of irregular breaking wave parameters in field conditions. The analysis of wave breaking in shallow water has been ongoing for almost 150 years. Numerous research papers have been published that approximate...

The article focuses on the analysis conducted by the survey ship HMS Echo in the Libyan water which aimed at analyzing its safety for Libyan Navy. Various aspects that were considered in the survey includes wrecks, reefs and rocks. It further mentions that 46.8 square nautical miles were...